Quick Links

Schedules

Maps

Fares

SystemStatus

Assisting Customers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

SEPTA offers many facility, vehicle, and service features that will make it easier for you to use and navigate the SEPTA system independently if you are blind or visually impaired. If you require assistance or information at any time, please do not hesitate to ask SEPTA personnel, use our website, or email, write, or telephone Customer Service.

Information Sources

SEPTA Website: Accessible to and usable by riders who are blind or visually impaired using a text reader (JAWS), the website offers a wealth of system and service information, fares, schedules, system and line maps, service alerts, and elevator outage information. The site is routinely tested by members of the regional blind community to assist SEPTA in ensuring that key features and tools are accessible.

SEPTA Customer Service: Before or during travel, riders can phone Customer Service (215-580-7800; staffed Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday, Sunday, & Holidays 8 a.m.-6 p.m.) for travel and elevator status information. Customer Service agents have access to the most current information about service on the system and can assist you with your travel plans.

SEPTA Customer Service Offices are located at:

1234 Market Street - Center City Philadelphia

Frankford Transportation Center

69th Street Terminal

Norristown Transportation Center

Chester Transportation Center

30th Street (Market Frankford/Trolley Station)

Olney Transportation Center

Information at Major Rail Stations: The Passenger Service desks at 30th St., Jefferson, and Suburban Regional Rail stations are equipped with web access to assure information is timely.

Mobile Technology: Customers using mobile phones with data access or devices that are WiFi equipped can access information from the SEPTA website, at any time and any where they travel. RSS feeds allow customers to subscribe to portions of the SEPTA website and receive general SEPTA information updates; new press releases and news bites; elevator outages and bus detours and our Twitter feed. These feeds can be subscribed to through news reader applications like NewsGator, reader sites like Google Reader, all web browsers, and mobile sites and applications. WAP formatted pages of the bus detours and elevator outages help customers with mobile phones with older software browsers.

Assistance - Helpful Features

Assistance with Fare Payment or Ticket/Pass Purchase: Cashiers, ticket agents and rail personnel are required to assist you with fare payment or purchases. Also, using the SEPTA website you can purchase fare instruments by return mail.

Free Stop Request Cards and Route Identifier Kits: These travel tools, available upon request, can assist you in boarding the correct vehicle, exiting at the right stop and traveling on the SEPTA system.

Reduced Fare Cards: Persons who are blind or significantly visually impaired may be eligible for reduced fares system-wide and throughout Pennsylvania any time, 365 days a year, with a Reduced Fare Card. To request an application for the PA Disability Identification Card, call or visit SEPTA Customer Service.

Accessible Travel Center: The new SEPTA Accessible Travel Center, located in Suburban Station, is already being intensively used by Orientation and Mobility Instructors working with visually impaired trainees. Learning SEPTA vehicle layouts and how to use and ride the SEPTA system is easier when you begin with practice on the bus mock-up in a transition space like the Center.

Service Animals

Individually trained service animals are welcome on all modes of SEPTA transportation. Other animals must ride in containers or carriers. US Dept. of Transportation ADA regulations do not recognize companion, therapy, support, or comfort animals as service animals.

SEPTA's ongoing service animal initiative works with owners and trainers to accustom service animals to public transportation and facilitate their owners' travels. In addition to training trips on all modes, the new Accessible Travel Center and its bus mock-up and rail car access are available to teach trainee animals to recognize and travel easily in a variety of situations. For more details, please review the SEPTA policy on service animals/service animals in training.

Staff Training

SEPTA personnel are required and trained to serve customers with disabilities courteously and professionally. Operators, cashiers, station personnel, and supervisors receive ADA training. Service quality is monitored by an aggressive plainclothes observation "secret shopper" service. If you have comments about any SEPTA service please email, write, or call with your commendation/complaints.

Facilities

The SEPTA system now includes 95 elevators and well over 100 accessible stations with additional upgrades planned or under construction. These make the system easier for everyone to use.

Information Systems: In major rail and transit stations, travel and transit information is announced audibly and visually. At Market Frankford, Broad Street, and Trolley Stations, SEPTA has implemented the Smart Stations program to enhance station communications, Elevator System Status (ESS), and security capabilities using real-time technology.

Elevators: Currently 21 rail transit stations are equipped with electronic, automated Elevator System Status (ESS) signs. Messages are updated by the Control Center as soon as they are notified that a change in status has occurred. More stations will receive this equipment in the future. ermanent metal signs featuring Braille and raised lettering, located beside the elevator door on each floor, have been installed that advise when equipment is removed from service for repair. SEPTA Maintainers will open and/or close the signs to reflect the current status of the elevator. SEPTA offers a number of options that can be used to check the status of system elevators before you start your trip or while you are traveling in the system. You can check the Elevator Outage web page, call Customer Service, call the Elevator Hotline 1-877-SEPTA4U, a toll free, recorded message (available 24 hours) that is kept current with outage information. Subway Cashier Booths: Customers can consult the cashiers at Market Frankford and Broad Street Stations to confirm the status of elevators.

Security: Major rail and transit stations, and most vehicles, now feature security cameras. Accessible emergency call boxes on each platform enable prompt reporting when you need assistance.

Vehicles/Cars

Audible destination and route or line identification; stop or station information: Buses and post-ADA transit vehicles are equipped with an audible external public address system identifying the route, and internal stop and connection information.

Silverliner V Cars: The newest vehicles in the SEPTA Rail fleet, the Silverliner V cars have 6 screens within each car that provide audible and visual station stop and connection information.

At the request of the regional blind community, to assist riders with low vision, SEPTA vehicles feature extensive use the color Yellow as a marker.

Complaints & Commendations

Please email, call or write SEPTA with your comments on service. Reports can be filed at any time using the Contact Us form. Accessibility/disability service reports can also be filed using ADA Access Link, a telephone hot line linking directly to SEPTA Customer Service at 215-580-7810.